Port Canaveral to Miami Beach.

[Yakb0]

Hello everyone,

I have a question about post-cruise transportation. I will be ending my cruise in Port Canaveral Sat. morning. I'm planning to go to Miami Beach for the rest of my vacation and fly home from MCO on Monday. I'll be traveling by myself. This is a last minute change of plan; I already had my travel arrangements in Orlando reserved.

Do you think it's a better idea to rent a car, drive to Miami, and come back on Sunday night; or to take the train? Prices are comparable when you add in the cost of parking.

[FOPMan]

It is a 3.5 to 4.5 hour trip from MCO to/from Miami Beach, and you need to give yourself time for unexpected delays on return if you don't have capacity to change your flight at the last minute.

 

The Brightline train is efficient, clean, and comfortable. My 80+ year old mother rode it this morning from South Florida to Orlando  and will head home to South Florida tomorrow or Sunday.

 

There is no Brightline station at Cape Canaveral (yet). You could pick up a car rental at Cape Canaveral. That would save you an hour and 15 minutes or so (It is a bit of a tossup ad to whether Florida's Turnpike or 95 will be faster for you- timing is everything!)

[capriccio]

Just a warning if you decide to go with the rental car and park it at the South Beach hotel:  check out the daily parking fee to add to your budget.  When our son and daughter-in-law got married at a hotel on South Beach in 2016, it was $40 a night (and that seemed to be the going rate).  I have no idea what it is now.

[wolft927]

38 minutes ago, capriccio said:

Just a warning if you decide to go with the rental car and park it at the South Beach hotel:  check out the daily parking fee to add to your budget.  When our son and daughter-in-law got married at a hotel on South Beach in 2016, it was $40 a night (and that seemed to be the going rate).  I have no idea what it is now.

$40 to $45 a night is about the average now anywhere in Miami. Also make sure that wherever you are staying there is either ample parking at the hotel or a garage or lot close by

[Corby114]

The ride from Port Canaveral to Miami Beach is around four hours plus taking into consideration traffic and the usual accidents on Interstate 95. If you're going to spend the rest of your vacation in South Florida cancel the Monday flight from MCO and rebook a flight home from either Miami. Fort Lauderdale or even West Palm Beach.

[HabitualLineStepper]

There is talk about Brightline opening a station 8 miles away from Port Canaveral. That will compete with the shuttle service from Port Canaveral to Orlando International Airport that is currently $15 per person.

[capriccio]

7 hours ago, HabitualLineStepper said:

There is talk about Brightline opening a station 8 miles away from Port Canaveral.

That would make sense but is still a long time away.  The next Brightline station was announced ta few weeks ago.  It will be located in Stuart (Martin County) and must, as the result of a lawsuit, open by 2028 but the company is saying it will open in the second half of 2026.

[cunnorl]

 It was announced a few days ago that a station will be built in Cocoa. The area where the train turns to head east along the 528.  ( RT,1 and  528 interchange) No timeline announced so probably will be a few years.

[Capt_BJ]

while not a fan of Brightline <too many half truths> it MIGHT work for you

 

BL cost 'advantages> fall apart when you talk about a family traveling ... 1 rental car versus 4 train tickets <and the adjacent rides to fill in the gaps>

 

BUT YOU might want to consider

 

1. from PC to MCO (cruise line transfer or local shuttle)

2. BL to Miami Beach (Ft L or Miami Station .. does not go to MB)

3. UBER from station to hotel

 

and reverse on the back side.

 

advantage is no car to worry about

 

disadvantage<s>

no car for local use

total cost<?>

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

(It is a bit of a tossup ad to whether Florida's Turnpike or 95 will be faster for you- timing is everything!)

 

NOT EVEN CLOSE ... get a car in Cocoa beach and it is 200 miles straight down 95 which tends to move FAST .... to get to the turnpike you'd need to west to Orlando first adding many miles and minutes ..... anyone look at a map?